you say it with flowers
by kohee
Summary: Coffee art flowers are such common, usual things. But Barba hardly fits the bill of "common". Barba/Benson friendship [SVU Coffee Shop AU ficlet]


one-shot; _you say it with flowers_ _  
_pairing: platonic (?) rafael barba & olivia benson  
word count: 1266 words  
note: just a silly, plotless, fluffy little one-shot set in the SVU Coffee Shop AU. You don't really need to read my one-shot 'take a shot of you and me' to get this; but reading it will give you a little context of this universe I created in my really messed up head.

For those of you who have read it – this is set sometime after Barba has told Liv his name, and Liv has told him her job, and a connection has been those of you who have read it – this is set sometime after Barba has told Liv his name, and Liv has told him her job, and a connection has been established.

 _begin_

"Dude, what do you mean, you can't make a flower on my girl's latte? I thought all you baristas are like, artists, and stuff."

Liv looks up from her phone, as the whiny nasally voice hits her eardrums. She cranes her neck curiously (she's third in the queue and the man in front of her is ridiculously tall), and she sees a college-aged boy with a petulant frown, gesturing wildly.

Rafael has a mask of patience on his face, but she can very well imagine the eye-rolling that's going on in his head. "I'm sorry, but neither my baristas nor I have the skills to do that that yet. We can draw a fern for you, perhaps?"

"Dude, a fern doesn't say, like, I dig you. Flowers do. My girlfriend's, like, expecting a flower on her coffee."

He presses two fingers to his temple and musters a smile. "Unfortunately, that's the best we can do for now. Do you still want your coffee?"

The college boy forks over his money, scowling. "Dude, a _fern_. That's like, so lame."

Liv grins as she steps up to the counter, tucking her phone into her bag. "My usual, please, but please top my macchiato with a flower."

"Haha, you are hilarious, Olivia, but really, now is not the time." He glares, grabbing a cup and scrawling a loopy M and an O on it.

She chuckles and moves aside, more than just a little amused by that whole exchange.

* * *

She stops by the café again that evening, planning to pick up a doughnut for Noah as well as a pastry for Lucy. The café is quiet when she walks in, with the only other customer being a college-aged couple, surrounded by books, laptops and cups of coffee.

She casts a glance over the shelf of pastries, noting gladly that Noah's favourite doughnuts are still available. Walking to the counter, she sees that Rafael is preoccupied with something on his iPad, earphones plugged in and a frown of concentration on his face. She clears her throat, and then reaches over and taps the screen.

He gives a start and jumps up, ripping off his earphones and slamming down the iPad with an abrupt gesture, and literally tosses it to the table space behind him. "Jesus, Olivia. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

She looks at him curiously, smirking. "What _were_ you doing? Watching porn, or something?"

"Oh, you're full of jokes today. That's really funny."

"Wow, someone's grouchy."

"You would be, too, if you spent the day fending off someone who calls you 'dude who can't make flowers'. He came back _twice_ today; apparently his girlfriend really likes my coffee – not that that's surprising – but he kept hankering about the fucking flower, and I was this close to committing an act of violence against him."

She laughs. "I guess I can't ask for a bouquet of roses and daises on my macchiato, then."

"Olivia, don't _even_ start."

* * *

When Liv goes to pick up her morning coffee the next day, the college kid is there again. A quick glance told her that Rafael had managed to make himself scarce, and Rita, his co-barista is trying pacify him.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't really cater to specifics with regards to coffee art." Rita says, with a polite smile.

"Man, really? I told the other dude like _three times_ yesterday, didn't he go learn how to make one or something?"

"I apologise for disappointing you, sir, but would you still like to have your coffee?" Rita's smile is noticeably getting strained.

He deigns to accept the flowerless coffees with an air of dissatisfaction, and stomps out of the café.

Liv then approaches the counter for her order. "Hello, Rita. My usual, please."

Rita scribbles her name on a cup and punches in her order, and as Liv hands over her money, she notices Rafael, in the act of getting up from a crouching position behind the coffee machine.

She stares, and then bursts into laughter. "Rafael...were you actually _hiding_?"

"Shut up. I just can't deal with the flower idiot this early in the morning, and not for two days in a row. Thanks for taking over, Rita."

Rita merely rolls her eyes at him as she starts steaming the shot of milk for Liv's coffee.

* * *

It is really late that evening when she enters the café, in fact she's thinking that Rafael would've closed shop and left. But he's still there, standing near to the coffee machine, holding a small tin of steamed milk, and pouring it into a mug of coffee, his tongue sticking out in concentration.

"Rafael?"

He looks up, and his hand slips, and milk sloshes onto the countertop. Grimacing, he grabs a dishcloth and starts cleaning up the mess. "You know, a cowbell would be a good accessory for you."

"Sorry." She laughs, holding up her hands in an apologetic gesture. "I'm just after my usual. To take away."

"Not staying for a chat today?" He asks casually.

"No, not today. No...I mean, no time to. I have a case that I need to work on with the ADA for our unit."

"You and the ADA could work in here, and provide me with some business." He grins, wrenching the portafilter.

"Not likely. We couldn't discuss cases in public. My ADA is such a stickler for rules, he'll never do it."

Something flickers across his eyes. "He, huh? And does he need a coffee, too?"

"No, he hates coffee. Couldn't stand it."

Rafael snorts. "An ADA that hates coffee...that's a rarity." He finishes her coffee and hands it to her. "On the house – I've already closed the register for the day."

She takes the coffee with a smile of thanks. "Aren't you going to leave, soon?"

"I'll leave later. I just need to...finish up something."

He watches her as she heads out, and he makes sure she is safely out of sight before starting a fresh macchiato. He flips open his iPad, and swipes across the screen, tapping on Youtube and bringing up a video.

Eyes trained on the video, he watches it carefully, and mutters to himself. "Okay, let's do this again."

* * *

When Liv reaches the Daily Dose the next day, College Boy is exiting the cafe with two cups of coffee and a huge smile.

She walks into the cafe and moves to take the place of a young man who had just finished placing his order.

"I just saw Flower Boy out there and he looks _happy_. Are you telling me that you made him his flower?"

Rafael scowls. "Please don't ask. I most certainly..."

"Yes, he did." Rita interrupts. "He spent the last two days watching fucking Youtube and staying in the café until midnight, to practice."

Liv whistles, feeling impressed. "Dedication to your art."

"I didn't do it for _him_." He scoffs. "I did it for my own sanity."

She grins and takes her coffee from him.

"Read the cup carefully before you drink your coffee, Olivia!" He calls out as she leaves the cafe.

 _Huh, that is the strangest thing to say_.

She looks at her cup; he had written _open_ with an arrow pointing towards the lid. Frowning, she gently pries open the lid, and she is met with a beautifully constructed rose etched onto the milk foam.

She stares at it, speechless, and then her eyes fall on some more scribbling to the other side of the cup. She turns it over carefully, and a smile breaks over her face.

 _Olivia. I 'dig' you._

 _end_

note: FYI - Rita as in Rita Calhoun. Hey, this is an AU. I call everything the writer's liberty.


End file.
